It is nigh on impossible to compare a track/race car to a road going version. Mine will handle far far better because of the following

Up rated bushes all round
Race suspension
Lowered springs
Accurate corner weighting of car and driver seat position (I sit in the back seat)
Accurate camber setup for optimum tyre temps
Race tyres
Mapping of my car for pure tourque to get me out of corners faster
BTCC cage for stiffness
Uprated brakes and race pads all round

When I tested my Clio at Cadwell there were lots of very expensive cars there and I ran rings around them much to their chargrin They expected power to be the be all and end all off of the race/fast car equation and it is not. Power = weight and weight = to slow in and out of corners, have to brake much earlier, go through tyres and pads much faster. Corner speed is where you win races not down straights. This is why F1 cars weigh 600kg! My Clio weighed 820 dry.

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Audi S3

It is nigh on impossible to compare a track/race car to a road going version. Mine will handle far far better because of the following

Up rated bushes all round
Race suspension
Lowered springs
Accurate corner weighting of car and driver seat position (I sit in the back seat)
Accurate camber setup for optimum tyre temps
Race tyres
Mapping of my car for pure tourque to get me out of corners faster
BTCC cage for stiffness
Uprated brakes and race pads all round

When I tested my Clio at Cadwell there were lots of very expensive cars there and I ran rings around them much to their chargrin They expected power to be the be all and end all off of the race/fast car equation and it is not. Power = weight and weight = to slow in and out of corners, have to brake much earlier, go through tyres and pads much faster. Corner speed is where you win races not down straights. This is why F1 cars weigh 600kg! My Clio weighed 820 dry.

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Exactly.

Though mine has adjustable topmounts,and coilovers,and all of the bushes and mounts etc,and the brakes and pads are used in a race series,it's still carrying a huge weight penalty,and whilst straight line runs may be a different matter,it's just not a reasonable comparison.

It all comes down to kinetics and the huge difference that losing 300kgs can make to the way a car handles around bends.....much less energy to lose under braking,and far less inertia to overcome under acceleration.

Though mine has adjustable topmounts,and coilovers,and all of the bushes and mounts etc,and the brakes and pads are used in a race series,it's still carrying a huge weight penalty,and whilst straight line runs may be a different matter,it's just not a reasonable comparison.

It all comes down to kinetics and the huge difference that losing 300kgs can make to the way a car handles around bends.....much less energy to lose under braking,and far less inertia to overcome under acceleration.

And...as I said,the driver!

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Yeah people reel off 300kg as though it's nothing but it is like having 4 passengers in the car with you!! The car becomes a deep sea trawler LOL

Audi S3

Yeah people reel off 300kg as though it's nothing but it is like having 4 passengers in the car with you!! The car becomes a deep sea trawler LOL

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LOL...nice one!

Thing is,once you take the back seats out,you lose not only the weight of the seats but the ballast(passengers!) as well!

Losing weight from a car is really quite difficult unless you're brutal with the accessories...my Escort was a Motorsport shell,and even the bloody heater was shaved down to the minimum so in winter you relied on the engine to keep warm!

The S3 weighs about 1500kg,which is fairly chunky for a hatch,and comparing that to the GpN Escort even with very similar suspension and bushing etc,is as we've both said,like chalk and cheese.
Does mean that I can have a nice comfy warm seat on the way in to work though!

If you watch this vid you can see how i cant catch the Audi as he has better legs down the straight and more tourque out the corners. I catch him in the corner and then he pulls away again. Snetterton is a another power car circuit, all the others and espcially Cadwell Park favour nimble cars.

Audi S3

If you watch this vid you can see how i cant catch the Audi as he has better legs down the straight and more tourque out the corners. I catch him in the corner and then he pulls away again. Snetterton is a another power car circuit, all the others and espcially Cadwell Park favour nimble cars.

I've only done one trackday so I'm an utter novice but loved it,and the car didn't blow up!

It did however prompt a brake and suspension rethink so it should be a lot better now.

What are you planning on for the suspension on yours?

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I have AST sportline 2's on at the moment with Eibach springs. I had them on the Clio and they were very good. You can go silly on shox but I am looking at Nitrons and reigers at the moment at about a grand a corner.

Audi S3

I have AST sportline 2's on at the moment with Eibach springs. I had them on the Clio and they were very good. You can go silly on shox but I am looking at Nitrons and reigers at the moment at about a grand a corner.

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I looked briefly at the Nitrons and decided on the kW Clubsports instead as something that's just about usable on the road...LOL.

If you watch this vid you can see how i cant catch the Audi as he has better legs down the straight and more tourque out the corners. I catch him in the corner and then he pulls away again. Snetterton is a another power car circuit, all the others and espcially Cadwell Park favour nimble cars.

I have AST sportline 2's on at the moment with Eibach springs. I had them on the Clio and they were very good. You can go silly on shox but I am looking at Nitrons and reigers at the moment at about a grand a corner.

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Yes the AST Sportline 2's are very good on the clio arnt they

Dont forget that AST coilovers are fully servicable/rebuildable. So if you think that they need a refresh then you can send them to Powerstation and they will make sure that everything is ok.

So as you can see much progress has been made and I am now on the home stretch Oils arrived today. Oh and filling the diff, haldex and front transfer box has been a right pain in the ass I can tell you!! I have also had issues with the haldex filter. My is a gen 4 kit (Non Audi supply)

So as you can see much progress has been made and I am now on the home stretch Oils arrived today. Oh and filling the diff, haldex and front transfer box has been a right pain in the ass I can tell you!! I have also had issues with the haldex filter. My is a gen 4 kit (Non Audi supply)

Recently joined Audi-Sport.net and straight away looking at build threads.

This is one of the best, most informative, fastest progressing build thread ever. This car is insane, there are no adjectives good enough in my vocabulary to describe how sensational this car is / will be once its running.

Recently joined Audi-Sport.net and straight away looking at build threads.

This is one of the best, most informative, fastest progressing build thread ever. This car is insane, there are no adjectives good enough in my vocabulary to describe how sensational this car is / will be once its running.

I look forward to seeing more pictures and videos of this beast.

Hats off to you sir!

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Thanks buddy.

Ever since I was a drooling kid I wanted an A3/S3 and for various reasons could never afford one and then when I could I jumped straight into an Aston and it sort of got bypassed. Because of this I wanted to do this car justice and so have put a lot of effort into the details and build as it's like I am ticking a teenagers box with this one

I have realy enjoyed this build because it really was on its last legs when I got it and now it looks and feels like a new car. I am sure somewhere in there it's thanking me for rescuing it I hope it repays my affection with some solid peformances on track eh. I have some very tuff cars to beat in TT this year!

The car is now with Troy at NMS having the interior loom done and of course once they can start it up the run in and map, then we will weigh it and add 90kg for me so we can map it to the 200 bhp per ton at the wheels I am allowed and then we are ready for shakedown test yayyyyy, can't wait.

I shall post video links in here of course and also all my races this season in Team Trophy which are as follows. I might do TDT on Saturday at Cadwell May 11th.

If you come along to any of these races please find my pit and say hello. I will/might be fitting a passenger seat and harness (removable) in this so I can take people out in it on track/test days Keep you posted
[h=4][/h]Race 3

Sadly I did'nt make Cadwell this weekend NMS have not got the wiring done in time Dohh. I am of course dissapointed but that is also a part of motorsport and you have to shrug and move on. I am hoping it will be finsihed next week and mapped.

I am booked in for July at Brands because somehow TDT and TT have managed to get races on the full GP circuit!!!! So I have booked for both. Next race for TT is June and I am also hopefull I will make that.

I will keep you posted. Oh what is the best diff for an S3? Do Gripper do one?

Audi S3

Sadly I did'nt make Cadwell this weekend NMS have not got the wiring done in time Dohh. I am of course dissapointed but that is also a part of motorsport and you have to shrug and move on. I am hoping it will be finsihed next week and mapped.

I am booked in for July at Brands because somehow TDT and TT have managed to get races on the full GP circuit!!!! So I have booked for both. Next race for TT is June and I am also hopefull I will make that.

I will keep you posted. Oh what is the best diff for an S3? Do Gripper do one?

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Quaife would be my choice,and I've just ordered one for mine.

There are alternatives such as Wavetrac,but having run Quaifes before,I know how tough they are,and how effective.

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